


Metamorphosis

by YanderePuppet



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: And angry Cloud, Angst, Creepy Sephiroth, F/M, It's way at the end, Kinda Fluffy, Lots if angst, M/M, Melodramatic Sephiroth, Might Add More, Mind Control, Mopey Cloud, Smut, Super powers?, Super soldier weirdness, Tifa is team mom, Wings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2019-01-07 20:21:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12239985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YanderePuppet/pseuds/YanderePuppet
Summary: Cloud starts to develop powers. The same powers he's seen Sephiroth use. Needless to say, he's not happy, good thing everyone else is so understanding.





	Metamorphosis

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I started writing this like, the end of august. Will probably be up today on october 1st (my birthday, I know my boyfriend is gonna give me new ideas later today that will spawn yet another distraction) Spawned out of a phone conversation with my boyfriend, where we made jokes about this idea. I liked it, he said write it out, so I did.

He connected the fusion swords back together in one split second motion, the action smooth and practiced from years of muscle memory. It snapped together with a resounding  _ clink _ as the king behemoth leaped at him. He took a sharp inhale of the icy wind. Cloud took a second to prepare before soaring up to meet it, the first fusion sword raised and ready. He swiftly brought the blade down, cleaving the massive beast clean in half. A spray of warm, sticky blood gushed out, drenching him in crimson as the carcass fell with a thud. He watched it fall idly for a small handful of seconds. It was in  _ that _ particular moment that the blonde realized, he… wasn’t  _ falling. _ And, by now  _ at least _ , he  _ should _ be. He’d stayed suspended like this before, granted, but it was usually when stull fighting against really tough opponents. Not when they were already dead. Specifically, _ it happened  _ whenever he fought against _ Sephiroth _ . He’d never been sure how much was his own angry determination keeping him aloft, and how much was that silver bastard’s telekinesis holding him up to fight n the air for …’ _ entertainment purposes _ .’ (He could definitely see that being the case. That asshole liked holding back and drawing things out enough… ) But this time, none of the normal prerequisites were in place. That asshole was still dead, Cloud himself had just gotten done fighting, and the adrenaline rush was gone long ago. Also, her gotten higher up since it died. He was currently suspended about 20 feet in the air, bobbing up and down slightly at the behest of the wind. Tifa was looking up at him in concern and confusion, and there was a weird, repeating “ _ woosh” _ sound coming from just  _ right _ behind his damn ear.

“Uh… Cloud?” Tifa called, worried and a little bit… creeped out?

“I don’t know what’s happening either.” He said, before she could ask. She shook her head and pointed behind him. He turned his head around, and…. Oh. That was new. That hadn’t been there two minutes ago. Hel, he shouldn’t even fucking have that. Why was it there? Where’d it come from? It was just like…. Oh… oh shit. He didn’t want that. It was a bad sign, wasn’t it? It must mean something really bad, at least. Having a… having…. A…. He fainted, suddenly. His heart skipped a beat or two as he thought about all the possible implications of what he saw. His vision returned slowly as he fell towards the ground. The wind buffeted his clothes as he fell, and Today called out in worry. He, luckily, came back to consciousness soon enough to see the ground rising up, albeit with blurry, confused vision. Thankfully, Tifa managed to help him snap out of his groggy state soon enough to use this newfound appendage and  _ fucking _ save himself from impact. Granted, the impact form the crash wouldn’t do more than maybe  _ bruise _ him anymore, but still. He didn’t want to kick up that much dust. Or make a giant crater like those Wutaian cartoon heroes Yuffie was obsessed with. Or possibly injure Tifa. He landed rather lightly on the ground, head spinning. “.... _ wing…. _ ” he managed to choke out. “I have a  _ fucking wing. _ ” His voice rose in a panic, breathier even than usual in his shocked state.

“Shh. it’s okay, just…” She trailed off, gentle tone wavering as she searched for the right wording. “Just don’t think about it. Let’s just go home, clean you up, and have Vincent come check it out, okay?” Tifa said, dragging him back over to Fenrir. “Is it okay if I drive?” She questioned. Her voice was soft. “You look too shaken up for it right now.” She added as an afterthought, noting his confusion. He nodded at her numbly as he climbed in the back. His mind was rushing with the thoughts of what this might mean. Was he… becoming more like  _ him? _ Had this always been there (at least since… since that green hazy blur of torture right after the burned, seared memory of the flames and death,) and he just hadn’t activated it yet? And if he had that, was there anything else too? He was horrified thinking about it. What if he had access to  _ all _ the same powers. What if he manifested them all by accident? Would he become like that sick cloying voice in his own mind to someone else and not even know?

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was about a year later. He’d grown accustomed to his newest appendage. For some reason, whenever he’d thought about it before (in fevered dreams probably spurred by outside forces. Or, _ an  _ outside force, a familiar one with haunting green eyes.)  he’d always thought…  _ If I get one, it’d probably be leathery and bat like, wouldn’t it? _ He didn’t know why he’d thought that. He just… had. As it was, however, he had feathers. (Just like  _ they’d _ had. Like  _ he  _ always has, when he’s back from the dead yet again.) Long and sleek and angled feathers, soft and fluffy and stockier feathers that sometimes fell off and tickled him. There were some intermediary ones too. Those also liked to fall everywhere. (He used to think Sephiroth shed feathers on purpose to leave behind for him like mementos, or proof of his existence. Now,  _ now _ ... he understood, the damned things wouldn’t stay  _ in _ the damned shafts, and it was fucking  _ irritating!  _ They got  _ everywhere, _ and Tifa was exasperated trying to keep them off of the furniture.) They were an ombre of medium to dark gray that faded so much darker towards the bottom. Just a touch away from pitch. He supposed it made sense. He wouldn’t get one’s like he’d seen Zack with after he’d died (and on Zack’s mentor before that. He still wasn’t sure if he’d been hallucinating them though,) all white and pure. Like fresh snow, in a way. So delicate and clean and  _ good _ and  _ benevolent _ seeming. It also made sense that his own wouldn’t be that same deep pitch as Sephiroth’s. Black like shadow, covered in a slick tar made of ill intent and malevolence. He got a far more neutral gray, flecks of black and white intermingling. Well-meaning, but tainted. That’s what they told him. ( _ I was a good person once, pure and gentle like that. Each of these darker flecks … they remind me of what to atone for. And of the threat responsible for corrupting me.)  _

Sometime... (a few months after he’d figured out how to actually control the damn thing,) in the past year, he’d begun mentally bracing himself for mockery and jibes about it, knowing full well that his fight with a certain mad man was coming up again. He’d started hardening himself against all the new mockeries that would potentially come from this. All the comments about them being “ _ the same now.” _ Or about how dark they were, despite his best efforts to be a good person. 

To his own surprise though, when the time finally came (that inevitable fight,) when he finally brought it out in battle... there was no mockery. Unless smirking counted, but, he doubted that it would. That’s essentially Sephiroth’s default reaction to  _ anything. _ Or, so Cloud has come to think, at least. Often as the man does, it’d the only explanation that’d make sense. No, nothing occurred of that nature. Oh, no, just a pleased smirk and a strange glow in those eyes. That was what he received. Not the cold, calculating  _ glow, _ or the steely, sadistic  _ glint, _ or the lukewarm look of  _ pride _ he was used to. They glowed with something warm. No, warm wasn’t the right word. Those green eyes had been  _ blazing. _ Not in anger, but some weird, twisted mockery of affection. A possessive sort of pride, more and stronger than the usual look he received. (“ **_You’ve gotten stronger again. Show me, let me feel every ounce of strength you’ve gained.”_ ** That gaze said.  **_“I want to test every limit you have.”)_ ** Not the passively satisfied and pleased look he normally saw. He didn’t see that one at all. 

There was even a point in the battle where, in exhaustion, he’d paused inside a house (it was abandoned. They were fighting in the ruins of a town close to Ice-cicle,)  to catch his breath. Before he’d even had time, the overbearing sense of that presence was right beside him. His muscles coiled and tensed. He blanched back. He was expecting something. A harsh blow. A stab through his shoulder. Suspended in the air yet again, with that sword the only thing keeping him off the cold ground. A familiar slick and smooth feeling. A feeling like strings of silk wrapping around his head, shivers and fog oozing from them. What followed, wasn’t any of that. What actually came took him by surprise. He was thrown against a hard, wooden wall. He felt it splinter a little behind him. (It was not done...  _ gently, _ but, well... relative to how this man  _ usually _ treated him, it was…. rather...  _ subdued _ . At least... the wall was still standing. So were all the other walls for the next mile.) He went to push back, to get away. He focused his energy in preparation,only to look up to see those eyes soften. There was an oddly pleasant feeling coming from the year old wing. A small buzz of connection running between them. Exploring, curious. Not slick and gentle and commanding, or sharp and piercing and forceful. No, it was a reaching out, not a bid for control. At least… for the time being.

”...what are you doing?” He demanded, brain fuzzy. Well, fuzzy brain was normal around this... _ thing _ , but it wasn’t from any weird mind control this time. That part was strange. There was some aspect of it, but it was the soft prodding of what he’d learned to be  _ “reading.”  _ (Thoughts and memories making themselves known to the silver monster at the slightest whim. He couldn’t push that type back all that precisely. It hurt to try.)

The small caresses were just… oddly soothing, and the slight affectionate buzz was reverberating through his skull similarly to the usual... _ (devotion)feelings _ (stuffed)sent (in)to his mind. The smirk widened, silver splaying out as the tall being shook his head.

“You finally learned to use the powers infused into you.” That voice said with no small amount of pride, of praise. “At least, to some extent.” He paused to chuckle, gently cupping the blonde's face with spidery fingers. “I’d been wondering how they’d manifest in you from the day you were first infused with my cells.” He paused, a feather fluttered down, (it was one of Cloud’s) and was caught effortlessly by one long fingered hand. Those spindly fingers twirled the speckled grey mass. It was light, poofed out and ticklish. A downy one. Those cruel chartreuse eyes seemed enraptured by the pattern. “It suits you.” He finally uttered, very simply. “It doesn’t know what color to be, so it blends down into almost perfect darkness, but never quite gets there.” THe hand not currently occupied with molesting Cloud’s face rose up to the man/demon’s side in a grandiose gesture, those pale eyelids closing over the mako glow. “A thing of beauty that’s been corrupted by shadow, and made all the lovelier for it.” He chuckled at his own musings. The blonde shook his head. He’d thought the same thing, more or less, it was just…  the silver menace had a more ( _ melo)dramatic… _ .more….  _ Poetic  _ flare to his words. Besides, he’d never let himself vocally agree with this man. Not that it mattered. Any thought he had, no matter how he suppressed it, was compromised. The man… demon…monster? whatever knew that he'd agreed, at least in part.

“Are we done with the dramatics now? I want to end this fight and go home already.” Cloud sighed. He knew there was little point. He could suggest, demand….  _ Beg _ if he wanted (he didn’t and he  _ wouldn’t _ , but still, the point was there) all he wanted. It wouldn’t help. Sephiroth was  _ never _ the kind to cut to the chase, and Cloud knew that. Didn’t mean he appreciated it though.

“Hmm. You do look tired. Shall we pick up tomorrow then, Cloud?” The taller one all but purred. 

“... The amount of casualties that might happen while I’m sleeping is not worth the few hours of sleep I might get.” He counters.

“Oh? I never said I was going to leave you alone while you rested.” Those eyes opened once more. Cloud sighed again. The way that green bored into his skull, seared into his mind… this was going to be a long night.

“Not interested.”

“Oh~? And why not,  _ Cloud?”  _

“You’d either kill me in my sleep or do… something else.” 

“Hmph. Well, you are rather enticing to look at, but I think you’re selling yourself a little high.” 

“That’s not what I mean. Stop playing games.”

“Heh. What did you mean then?” 

“You know damned well what I meant.”   
“And why wait till you’re asleep? I’m already in your head right now. If I really wanted that, I’d just…” The taller trailed off, closing his eyes slowly, letting his lashes cast long shadows on his pale cheeks.  _ Thud _ . With a flash they opened again. A gloved fist smoothly pulled back from the hole it had left in the wall (not even an  _ inch  _ from the blonde’s head) to yank a spiky tuft of hair. His entire skull flared with pain, not just from the pulling. “Take control here and now.” Everything was fuzzy for two seconds. The voices slowly faded out, the fog and static and pain left. His head cleared. 

“So, what, you just don’t want to?” The blonde quipped, once he wrestled his mind back.

“What would be the fun in it? I already know I can, and once I let go, you’re immediately back to this.” The taller hummed. “I need to enjoy the process of…  _ breaking… _ no…  _ destroying everything you are.  _ Only that… only when you do what I desire of your own accord will I be satisfied.”

“Then I guess it’s a good thing that’ll never happen. I’d hate to see you happy.” Cloud retorted, face serious. There was a small fearful anger lighting the old determination ablaze. Sapphire eyes glistened and shone for a brief second, before he clutched at his skull again.

“Starting with that stubborn attitude of yours.” The man purred. “That will be the most fun to rip away from you.” Those spindly fingers came up again, ready to caress the shell of an ear, but, in a panic, Cloud pushed backwards and… The wall was now in front of him. He…. He’d  _ phased through it. _

“Looks like my fear was right.” He whispered to himself. “I do have access to other ones.” The wall was cleaved apart from the inside, the clean slice toppling the whole house. Cloud glared up, watching as Sephiroth took a few slow, languid steps forward. Phasing through was probably not dramatic enough for that pompous piece of shit, he figured. Those arrogant eyes stared down at him possessively. He leapt forward, sword out. Now was the time to finish this.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Any new ones yet to be discovered… I wonder what they’ll be...” Vincent wondered allowed. Cloud knew it wasn’t really a question. He answered anyway.

“Not sure yet.” He said. “I know the ones I’ve seen him use. I guess teleportation and telekinesis wouldn’t be… that horrible.” 

“Those aren’t the powers that I’m concerned with.” The gravelly voice was stern with worry.

“...I don’t want to think about... _ that one. _ ” The blond muttered, dreading the response. He closed his eyes as Vincent started to speak again.

“This isn’t a matter of what you desire, but what you need to face. It is better to know of these things on your own accord. Why aren’t you testing for them on your own time?” Vincent demanded, his soothing voice very convincing.

“I just….” He looked away. “...I’m… scared is all.”

“Any fear you have would be justified. You shouldn’t let it defeat you, regardless of your predispositions to any possible results. Knowing would help you overcome it faster.”

“How would I even test that? And with who?” The blonde questioned bitterly. “It’s not the sort of thing I’d learn on accident, so, I’m content with not knowing if it is there or not.” 

“It could come in handy.” Was all Vincent supplied. Cloud understood. He got what Vincent meant, and why, he just… He didn’t  _ want _ that. If there were more… more people infected or injected with that alien matter… what little weight he could pull would mean jack shit if Sephiroth showed up. And he doubted it would work on a remnant of the man's actual spirit.

“It just…. wouldn’t feel right.” He said. After going through that, fighting off the mental assault, the confining pressure and the gentle prodding so many times… he couldn't wish that on anyone. Couldn't near the thought of doing that to anyone. Vincent just hummed. 

They sat in silence. Vincent was... pensive and Cloud… Cloud was just tired. Barrett had been poking fun at him, but he saw the wary looks. Red was… apprehensive about asking questions. Yuffie had made a reference to some weird anime with a “hero that’s all skulky and annoying like you. The villain is really weird too and it’s kinda really reealllly close to the stuff that happened when we saved the world!” Tifa and Vincent were… trying. Vincent was a touch too callous, Tifa a touch too gentle. Reeve was too busy to really care, Cid was in the same boat as Barrett. It was stressful. He didn't know what to do, what was happening. Something rustled the nearby bushes. They jumped into ready stances, alert. The monster lunged towards Vincent, who fired Cerberus repeatedly with little effect. The beast was fast, dodging left and right. Cloud was aware Vincent could handle himself, but at the same time, Chaos was gone now. Or at least sleeping, so in the event of serious injury…. The wolf kept running at Vincent. Cloud was too far away to help in time. Except… he… wasn't? All of a sudden, he was between Vincent and the wolf. He brought his sword down, busting open it's head like a piece of rotted old fruit. Vincent made a curious sound behind him.

“It seems you managed to figure outteleportation.” The gunman supplied. Cloud snorted.

“I can see that.” He retorted. “I suddenly moved  to a place about 15 feet away from where I'd been standing.” If he seemed agitated, it was likely because that was exactly the case. He was barely gaining control over the whole  _ phasing through solid objects _ bit, and now he had another power to figure out. Unless he wanted it to keep happening by accident.

“Well…” Vincent's deep rumbling voiceb began Will you consider what we were speaking of now?” Cloud sighed, turning his head away.

“I'm not interested.” He replied in his typical fashion . He couldn't tell behind the red cowl...collar thing on Vincent's cloak, but he was positive the mysterious ex Turk was smirking at him. If the glint I'm those ruby eyes was anything to go by, at least. He could barely keep himself from the sardonic half smile he gave in return. If any of the others were here… they'd never hear the end of it. (“ _ Oh so you two jackasses can smile huh? I guess you're both more human than we thought.”) _

\----------------------------------------------------------------

\--------------------------------

 

_ “Well…”  _ a lilting female voice teased in his head.  _ “These aren't entirely new.”  _ He quirked an eyebrow.

“This has happened before?” Hequestioned, clearly confused.

_ “Of course it has, silly.”  _ She replied

_ “Though I guess you weren't ever in your right mind when it did.”  _

“Aerith… what are you talking about?”

He muttered the question under his breath. Tifa gave him a funny look as she walked by the bathroom, but shook her head and continued on. 

“ _ Well, normally they're also green when this happens _ _. But… well whenever he was… messing with your head, this happened. When you use those weird powers too.”  _ She supplied. Cloud blanched. His reflection was wrong, but here was the ghost of his previous girlfriend saying it was ... _ normal? _

_ “ _ How do I fix it?” He asked, resigned to 

Whatever answer awaited him. Aerith went eerily quiet. 

_ “Sorry bud, I'm pretty sure that's  _ _ permanent.”  _ Zack's voice chimed in, helpfully.  _ “Just think of it this way, you're old childhood dream came true.” _

_ “ZACK!!”  _ Aerith yelled.  _ “You are not helping _ _  Cloud, ignore him, he's just being a jerk.” _

_ “Hey! Am not.” _

Cloud, for his part, pinched the bridge of his  nose, head shaking. He had an urge to say  _ 'children, please’  _ that probably came from helping Tifa with Marlene and Denzel so much.

As it was, Zack heard him  _ think _ it.

_ “Dude, you're even starting to sound like  _ _ him.”  _ Zack added. There was a sound like Aerith had slapped him for his comment, but Cloud wasn't sure. Could ghosts slap each other?

“...Zack?” Cloud called.

_ “Yeah? Whaddya wanna say?”  _

_ “ _ Shut the fuck up.” Cloud said, sighing.

Zack went quiet, but not without whining like a neglected puppy first. 

Cloud looked to the mirror again. Those slit  pupils made him feel sick. They were unnatural. They were wrong and he couldn't make them go away. Apparently, he didn't have access to shape shifting yet. He wished he did though. How the hell would he face Tifa with this? He wanted to smash something, but… he refrained. He wasn't quite sure Tifa would forgive him if he smashed the mirror  _ again _ . (Apparently Sephiroth really liked to show up in it. It got very... _ irritating _ after a while.) Even still… he wanted to. His fist clenched.  _ Self control. _ He thought.

**_Crash!_ ** The mirror shattered and thousands  of tiny shards fell to the ground with a resounding echo of  _ clinkclinkclink  _ and Tifa came running. His hand wasn't cut open this time. He hadn't done that… had he?

“CLOUD?! What's wrong!?” Tifa called, rushing  into the small room. The blond was backed into a corner, looking at his clean, uncut hand where he sat crouched on the floor. And… oh.. his eyes. That must be what distressed him. She maneuvered around the broken shards of glass. “Hey. Cloud. Look at me.” She coaxed, gentle. “It's okay. It's going to be okay.” She gazed at him softly, running her hand down his cheek. Cloud looked up, his eyes ( _ still blue. That's good. So blue. Like a bright burning Sapphire doused in mako) _ brimming with tears. She wiped away at them.

“Well, I always thought you were kinda like a cat.” She started. His eyes widened in surprise.

“Y... you're not scared of me now?....You…. Don't hate me?” She looked down from where she was crouching and saw a frightened blond boy, all beat up and bruised from starting fights with boys twice his size, worried his mom would be mad at him for putting himself in danger again. Except back then… all she did was watch, it was her friend who'd beaten him up after all. What could she have done? Now though… now she new. It was far too late, but… she knew.

“Cloud…” she sighed, exasperated. “I love you. I'm not going to start hating you because of things you can't control. Come on. Let's get out of here before one of us gets cut.” She said as she lifted him up, guiding him back to the bedroom. “How'd the mirror break anyway?”

“... I… broke it with my mind.” Tifa flinched at his tone. The self loathing was… unbearably painful to hear in his voice. She thought he'd gotten passed that. She sighed, deciding to make light of the situation.

“Well, look on the bright side.” She said.

“Once you master this ability, you won't have to do the dishes by hand anymore.” He brightened a little. She knew he hated dishes. She couldn't help herself, indulging a little. His face was just too cute right then, how could she not? She caressed his cheek again, slow and gentle. He looked at her shyly as she leaned forward and brushed their lips together. His eyes closed. He pressed forward, kissing back, without the gentle touch that she had. He was all aggressive, demanding. A warrior through and through. She blushed when they broke apart, panting for breath. Oh gods, why hadn't she tried that sooner? She nearly swooned as he came back in for another. 

“Cloud…” she breathed between kisses.

He looked at her with half lidded eyes. She pulled him closer, claiming his warm lips again. His hands molded down her sides and she moaned. He pinned her to the bed and continued to kiss her. Aerith giggled in his head, and he swore he heard her say “ _ finally”  _ as he slipped off Tifa's shirt, clumsily unhooked her bra, and kissed each if her breasts. Her arms locked around his neck as he suckled on them, her face flushed and eyes hazy. She reached down to undo his pants, pulling them loose right as…

_ Creak. _

The door opened to reveal a horrified Denzel who just wanted help on his homework. Oops. He awkwardly shut the door and went away to ask Barrett instead. Tifa let out a strained laugh and Cloud shook his head. Of all the timing… oh well. His pants were already down, and her skirt wasn't too hard to remove. And oh gods, those strong, milky white thighs were attractive in a way so very different to Aerith’s thin olive toned legs, but that didn't mean they weren't just as maddening. He bit and licked and kissed along her thighs now, the moment having returned. She let out a soft moan, and he continued. He hooked a finger under her panties, pulling them down.

“Tifa…” he could barely manage, voice raspy with desire. She unzipped his shirt for him, pushing him onto his back. He looked up in shock from where he lay as she took up his lap. Oh. Oh gods. She sat down slowly, easing him inside. It was… warm. Warm and hazy and it felt good, so he lifted up his hips, and she moaned. Her arms came down to rest on either side of him, supporting her weight as she lifted herself up and down his rather...average length.

“It's so thick…” she groaned. He let out a small moan. She rolled her hips forward and they both gasped in unison. “Oh gods…”

“Th-that feels amazing…” he grunted.

She nodded her affirmation as she did it again. Then lifted up and down once more. She started to alternate back and forth. The pace was raw… Rocky. It was flawed but oh it felt amazing anyway. She felt so full and stretched. It’d been so long since…

“Ah-” She moaned. Gods though, Johnny may have had more “experience” but… this… this was the best she'd ever felt. She panted as she leaned down to kiss him. His hips thrusted up into her and she let out another moan. Something warm and sticky releasing inside her as she clenched up in orgasm. They lay there for a few minutes to cool down.

“...holy shit.” Was all Cloud could manage  He heard Aerith giggle again. He blushed. “ _ Shut up.”  _ He whispered. Tifa looked over.

“What's Aerith saying?”

“Sh-she's laughing at me.” Cloud

stuttered, face bright red. “Saying I should have done this sooner.”

Tifa smiled. That made her pretty happy to hear.

 

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: of course, knowing me chapter two will be really dark and demented, but hey. I'm getting brave enough for smut. Maybe I'll actually finish day met night after all. It's at least possible.


End file.
